


Stop Draining The Colour Out Of My Scene

by brokenhighways



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Police, Angst with a Happy Ending, Los Angeles, M/M, On Set, Slow Burn, Soap Opera, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:45:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13214994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: Jensen Ackles is soap opera star who finds himself being stalked in real life. Undercover Officer Padalecki is assigned his case and provides support while everyone else is convinced he’s a drama queen and in it for the publicity. When things take a drastic turn, the situation suddenly becomes too real to ignore.





	Stop Draining The Colour Out Of My Scene

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stellamira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellamira/gifts).



> For stellamira. I tried to put in at least one of your prompts, but I’m sorry if I didn’t cover all your likes. I am also SO SORRY that this late. I have terrible several excuses, but the main one is I completely FORGOT that I’d signed up. Yeah, I’m an idiot that way. I started the story, left it on Drive and that was that until I found an email from the mods in my spam folder (this sums up just how much of an idiot I am). By then, Christmas and all that comes with it was in full flow and it just didn’t happen for me. Once again, I apologise for my tardiness and I wish you a belated Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. :) I hope you enjoy the story! 
> 
> This is unbeta'd so I apologise for any mistakes. I will probably edit it over the coming week, lol. Title is from Kaleidoscope by Blink-182.

****_ "But....you can't be here," the man splutters. "You died at the marina. I-I saw you! You drowned!" _

_ He stumbles backwards, hand clasped by his chest as his eyes widen in horror. _

_ "No," the woman cries breathlessly. "You were the one that pushed me!"  _

"CUT!" 

Jensen breathes a sigh of relief when the director finally calls for a break. He doesn't think his job is overly hard but pretending he doesn't loathe every minute he spends as the main character on the hit soap opera ' _ Filthy Rich Avenue _ ' is extremely difficult. He plays the role of Richard, the handsome rich man who has a habit of bedding shrieking women and spending his filthy money.  

It’s not exactly award-winning television (unless the Daytime Emmys count).

"Nice work, Jensen," one of the producers calls out when Jensen passes him on his way to the trailer. Jensen nods and keeps on walking. There's been some tension on set over the past few months. First there was the accidental Facebook Live video in which he bad mouthed the show, cast, crew and executives. That was followed by the audition for a new CW show based on Formula One which leaked onto the internet. 

Needless to say he hasn't exactly endeared himself to the fans or his co-workers. Even the undercover police officer stationed to watch him seems more amused by him than anything. Not that Jensen blames him; if he wasn't being stalked and threatened by some psycho, he'd probably see the funny side too. 

"Are you gonna go grab lunch now or later?" 

Jared, the officer, is always asking Jensen about food. If he wasn't seriously hot, Jensen would remind the guy that he's not in charge of feeding him. However, he may or may not be addicted to Jared's dimples so he nods and points in the direction of the food carts. He doesn't eat most of what they lay out because he needs to maintain his washboard abs, but he's seen enough waste to know that Jared's probably doing the food crew a favour. 

"Did your stalker get in touch today?" Jared asks nonchalantly around a mouthful of pasta. It should be gross but Jensen's used to it now. Plus, he likes the way Jared licks his lips after each bite. What can he say? He's fucking shallow. He's so distracted it takes him a while to realise Jared asked him a question. 

"Uh, no, not today." He doesn't offer anything more than that. He's well aware that Jared thinks he's a drama queen. Along with most of the internet. Apparently, twenty-seven silent phone calls, his apartment being broken into twice and a heavily defaced copy of US Weekly isn't stalking, but an overreaction on his part. "I haven't heard anything since you showed up. Maybe you scared them off." 

Or at least that's what Jensen hopes happened. He's starting to get a bit freaked out. He’s had his fair share of overexcited fans but there’s something about this latest instance that leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

"Hmm, maybe," Jared replies. He wipes his mouth with a napkin and takes a swig of his water, his throat exposed beautifully just for Jensen's viewing pleasure. And seriously, he has got to stop thinking stupid shit like that. "I spoke to security on set and told them to be alert just in case. It could just be an overzealous fan who's gotten bored."

Jensen scoffs. It's only taken this long for Jared to actually take things seriously. "I'm surprised that you're bothering, most people think I'm being a drama queen and trying to get out of my contact." 

"I'm not most people." Jared winks at him and Jensen feels himself blush. 

Dammit. 

"I won't lie. We did draw short straws to see who'd have to babysit you, but I've been here long enough to know that what they say about you online isn't true."

It's sad how much of a relief it is to know that one person believes him. 

~

Unfortunately for Jensen, Jared's admission just seems to spur his stalker on. When he gets home the next Friday, he toes off his shoes by the door and goes to grab some water from the fridge. He yelps and jumps back when he sees about thirty orange juice cartons staring back at him, with each box emblazoned with his face. Upon further inspection he realises everything else is gone from his fridge. Including the homemade meatloaf that his mom brought over. He’s not too sad about the meatloaf but  _ damn _ , doesn’t his stalker realise he needs to eat?

Fifteen minutes later, Jensen watches on as Jared dusts his fridge for fingerprints. Luckily for him Jared was in the area and able to get here quickly. He watches as Jared bags up each carton, before he stops and holds up the last one and asks, "Did you see this?" 

Jensen looks up to see the words, 'YOU RUINED ME' scrawled in red marker. He shakes his head. 

“I’m never drinking orange juice again.”

~

Jared calls the studio while Jensen calls his agent and by some agreement, it’s decided that he check into a hotel for the time being. Jensen is reluctant but none of his excuses work. Apparently being overly fond of his own mattress isn’t an appropriate reason for him to endanger his life. Secretly, he’s glad that they give him no choice but he’s determined to put up a brave face. The last thing he needs is—

_ Sympathy has poured in for soap opera star Jensen Ackles who is dealing with a stalker. Sources say Ackles has received several questionable items as well as suspicious phone calls. When asked for comment, Ackles’ agent did not return any calls. We here at E!News certainly hope Jensen’s alright! _

_ \--- _ sympathy from the braying and blood sucking media. 

Or the general public, who can't seem to decide if they hate him or love him. 

“Who told E! News about this?” he bitches after changing the channel. He’s in his newly booked hotel room, closed off from any outsiders and heavily concealed by thick, beige drapes and a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign. The bed is comfortable, although the sheets aren’t exactly Egyptian Cotton, nor is he a fan of the cream bedspread. He generally doesn’t like anything that’ll be instantly ruined if he drops chocolate on it. And chocolate comes up a  _ lot  _ for him. 

“The studio thought that we could use this to undo all the bad publicity that you’ve gotten over the past few months,” Aldis, his agent, says from where he’s propped up on a couch. Jared’s standing guard by the door but he doesn’t say anything. He hasn’t said much since he drove Jensen to the hotel. It looks like the studio are going to spring for a private security detail, so Jared’s probably waiting for them to get here and take Jensen off his hands, 

_ Previously on Filthy Rich Avenue! Rich discovered that his ex-wife Arabella was still ALIVE!!!— _

“Seriously, Aldis?” Jensen snaps. “Can’t you watch this crap at home?”

Aldis glares at him. “And miss seeing how Arabella survived after you pushed her into the marina? No way, man.” 

Jensen thinks he sees Jared’s mouth twitch at the corner but he’s not sure. He knows Jared’s also overly wrapped up in the show too, not that he understands why. The writing is bad, the characters are even worse and… Jensen himself does his best to avoid the show when he isn’t on set. 

“Everybody knows Arabella is lying. She knows Rich has amnesia and she’s using this as a way to get back into his checkbook  _ and  _ his bed,” Jared calls from the doors. “I’m totally in the know.”

“Dude,  _ spoilers _ ,” Aldis cries. “You can come and watch it with is, y’know? I know that you’re working for Uncle Sam and all, but I’d feel a lot safer if I could see your weapon. No offence.”

“ _ Aldis _ ,” Jensen hisses before aiming an apologetic smile at Jared. He knows Aldis isn’t too big on the police right now, what with what’s been happening lately but  _ still _ . 

“It’s fine, he has a point,” Jared says. “Technically I’m off-duty, so I’m not armed. I’m just waiting for the security detail to get here.”

“They’re not coming,” Aldis says, finally taking his eyes off the screen. He turns to Jensen. “Seriously, you’ve got to tell me how long Rich has amnesia for. I can’t take this shit anymore. It’s--”

“Uh, can we get back to the part you said the security detail aren't coming?” Jared cuts in. This time there's a stern look on his face and his tone is so authoritative that Aldis looks up at him sheepishly. 

“The studio still feel like Jensen's using this to get out of his contract somehow, they're not willing to pay for it.”.

Jensen rolls his eyes. “So  _ I'll  _ pay for it.”

“Do you have  _ five  _ grand a day to spend on a decent security detail? Cause you'd need it.”

Jared whistles. “Look, it's a criminal case, now, so I can probably stick around. It's not like the police department care about their resources being wasted or anything.”

There’s an obvious sarcastic note in Jared’s voice and Jensen can’t help feeling sorry for him. It’s not like they give out medals or recommendation for looking after soap opera ‘stars’;if he was in Jared’s position he would feel some resentment too. 

Aldis levels Jared with a curious look. “You do that, man, all I know is there's talk and putting a stop to this stalker madness would be good. So how about you tell your buddies at the station to get off their asses and do something.”

Jared rolls his eyes but he nods anyway. 

~

Jensen gets a weird letter on Monday. He's just about to leave his trailer in his baby blue bathrobe (he's about to shoot his shirtless morning off scene because that's what the viewers want apparently) when he spots a pink envelope on the floor. He doesn't touch it, just opens his door and yells, “JARED!”

Jared emerges within seconds. Due to his cover as a friend of Jensen’s, he's not in his cop uniform which Jensen would be sad about if he didn't equally approve of the olive green sweater and tight denim jeans that Jared's wearing instead. 

“Pink envelope. Floor.” Jensen's words come in bursts, but Jared goes with it. He pulls a pair of latex gloves from his pants pocket uses them to pick up the envelope. There's a moment of hesitation, but Jensen steps forward and says, “Open it, it's okay.”

He watches carefully as Jared pulls a piece of white paper out. After reading it for a few seconds, he holds it out for Jensen to see. 

_ What power art thou, who from below _ __  
_ Hast made me rise unwilling and slow _ __  
_ From beds of everlasting snow? _ __  
_ See’st thou not how stiff and wondrous old _ __  
_ Far unfit to bear the bitter cold _ __  
_ I can scarcely move or draw my breath _ _  
_ __ Let me, let me freeze to death.

“It's from the Cold Song,” Jensen murmurs, idly thinking back to his theatre days. He was never  _ in  _ King Arthur but... _ she  _ was. “This is probably nothing.”

“Generally, when someone says it's  _ nothing _ it's absolutely something,” Jared says, reaching out to take a plastic bag from his pocket. He drops the note inside and seals it. “I'll get this to the station.”

Jensen rolls his eyes. “They'll probably file it under LMAO along with the rest of the case.”

Jared pulls a face but he doesn't disagree. “Luckily for you, the studio have enough pull out ensure I'm here.”

Jensen shakes his head. “Whatever. I have a scene to film.”

~

“ _ I need fifty thousand dollars!” she shrieks, lips pursed as her eyes widen with fear. “Or they'll kill me.” _

_ Rich raises an eyebrow. “I find it hard to believe that. You literally just rose from the dead. Oh and didn't you claim I pushed you?” _

_ Arabella coughs nervously. “They told me to say that. They didn't know about the amnesia clearing up!” _

_ Rich takes a step back and loosens his robe. “I can't help you this time, Bella. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to sit back and enjoy my pool.” _

_ “ _ CUT!” 

Jensen grabs a towel once he's out of the water. The actress playing Arabella is a slim blonde woman named Katie Cassidy. They're not exactly friends, but they get on well enough. 

“This storyline is crazy,” she says when they walk off the set together. 

Jensen laughs bitterly. “Rich was once swallowed by a  _ snake.  _ Now that was crazy.”

Katie smiles but there's something off about it. “Can I ask you a question?”

Jensen looks up to see Jared hovering in the near distance. He took turns back to Katie and says, “You just did.”

Katie eyes him carefully. “That's cute. Unlike how you tried to screw all of us over. It's already hard enough being in this business and having to take  _ maternity  _ leave. Imagine my surprise when I heard you almost cost all of us our jobs.”

It's unsurprising that she's still harbouring ill feeling towards him. The previous showrunner Eric Kripke had been planning to replace her before he was fired. Jensen leaving the show would have all but led to  _ Filthy Rich Avenue _ ’s cancellation. Unfortunately for him, he has too much of a conscience to quit outright. That and bills to pay. He’s seen enough of his former co-stars selling signed shit on eBay to know that he’s still better off than many people.

Despite that, he doesn’t owe Katie or anyone else a damn thing.

“I filmed a pilot based on a sport where a bunch of guys drive in circles for seven months,” Jensen points out. “It was a non-starter from the get go. I just had to do it for  _ myself _ . Why is that such a bad thing?”

He doesn’t expect any of them to understand. Being a soap actor in this town is either a pathway to future success or a bus stop to nowhere. Jensen’s been saddled with the latter because he’s the backbone of the show. He’s in  _ every  _ episode, on all the promotional material and on the front of tons of trashy magazines that are better off being used as coasters. According to just about everyone, there is no show without him. Call Jensen selfish, but that’s a lot of pressure to deal with.

Katie steps forward and leans in slightly. “Cut the crap. First it's a pilot, and then it's another and next you're a series regular on a primetime show. Where does that leave the rest of us? The cast, crew, production all of them. Don't you care?”

This is exactly why Jensen wanted to leave in the first place. Too many people thought that he was some type of meal ticket. Call Jensen selfish, but he's been on the show for a good ten years. He's done his time. He’s been a loyal servant and turned down many opportunities due to contractual obligations and scheduling conflicts. Apparently none of that means anything to anybody. 

Luckily for him Jared appears next to them and says, “Sorry, Jensen, I need to borrow you for a minute. Do you mind?”

Jensen doesn't even look back at Katie before he says, “I think we're done here.”

~

Jared waits until Jensen's halfway through his lunch to ask about Katie. 

“She's not a fan of yours.” He’s eating another sandwich and Jensen settles in to watch. Call him sad, but watching Jared eat is the highlight of his day. 

Jensen snorts and screws the cap on his water bottle. “Find someone on the show who  _ is _ .”

It's something that he's grown used to. They all think he betrayed them and he's dealing with the ramifications. Lonely lunches, cold stares and dirty looks. It's not like he cares beyond doing his scenes and getting his paycheck. 

Jared takes a sip of his large Coke and raise an eyebrow. “So they  _ all  _ hate you? That's crazy.” 

“Someone is literally stalking me. Is it so crazy?”

“I don't know, it just seems like it's the norm in Hollywood. You find a better opportunity and you go for it. They could always just replace you. Or kill off.”

“The studio are convinced after ten years, I'm the main draw to the show. I missed an episode, or well, I was in it for two minutes - the one where Rich was abducted by aliens - and the ratings weren't great.”

Jared frowns sadly, and his hands still over his French fries. “So, you're stuck here?”

Jensen doesn't like to think of it that way, at least not while his agent searches for other roles for him. One thing that the other cast members aren't privy to is a stipulation in his contract that says he can go if he's cast in a major motion picture or a regular show. It's part of the reason he's sure that production are secretly not bothered about his stalker issue.

“Did you get the note to the station yet?” Jensen lowers his voice, not wanting to discuss his career anymore.

Jared wipes his mouth with a napkin and tosses it down onto his plate. “I'll have to do it when we're done here. I'm not authorised to watch you while you're off set, but I don't mind keeping an eye on things for a while. After that, I'll drop it off.”

Jensen clears his throat and tries not to think about how he wishes Jared would do more than just keep an eye on him.

“I'll be fine. You don't have to follow me to the hotel.”

Jared's face flushes slightly, head sinking down as he mumbles, “It's no trouble.”

Jensen smiles slightly, and looks up from under his eyelashes, knowing fully well he’s officially crossed over into the land of flirting. “Fine, dinner's on me in that case.”

The grin he gets in response is blinding, at least until Jared says, “It's a date” and it falters and vanishes all together. 

“I-I didn't mean it like that,” he stammers, looking anywhere but at Jensen. It makes a change from seeing Jared polished and perfect while Jensen’s on the verge of a meltdown. 

Call Jensen confident, but he likes Jared. He's not going to let some disturbed person get in the way of going after what he wants. Plus, he may or may not need to let off some steam after his conversation with Katie. 

“I don't mind it being a date.”

~

They order the steak, potatoes and gravy from room service and camp out in front of the television. Jensen's barefoot, in loose sweatpants and a baggy hoodie and Jared's in his jeans and a basic black t-shirt. 

“They should be done analysing the note in a few days,” Jared says. “I know a tech and asked him to look into it.”

Jensen grunts but he doesn't answer. 

“So, what's the deal with Katie?” Jared asks again around a mouthful of chow mein. “I know that you two aren't best buddies but she's showing a blatant lack of sympathy considering that you're being stalked.”

Jensen feels his throat tighten; he doesn't really want to talk about this. At least not now. 

“Hey, we can talk about this later if you want,” Jared adds quickly. “I'd hate to make you cry on our first date.”

Jensen can't help the laugh that comes out of his mouth. “I only cry when I'm getting paid to do it.”

“I'm sure you do,” Jared replies with a knowing look before he turns his attention back to the TV screen. “Oh, the show’s about to start!” 

_ Tonight on Filthy Rich Avenue, Rich gets the shock of his life and Lydia finally accepts she's not giving birth to a two-headed baby! _

Jensen groans at the loud booming announcement. He'd rather forget he's on one of the country’s most embarrassing soap operas. Jared, however, practically claps his hands with glee.

“Not gonna lie, I like watching this show. It's always hilarious. In a good way of course.”

Jensen raises an eyebrow. “It's okay, you don't have to spare my feelings. I just shot my twenty millionth shirtless scene. Whatever dignity I had is  _ long  _ gone.”

Jared turns to grin at him. “Dignity or not, I'm not complaining about those scenes.”

Jensen smiles back but he doesn't respond. He's wondering how ethical it is to sleep with the officer that's protecting him. He's the Whitney Houston to Jared's Kevin Costner and he's not sure that he's okay with that. His decision making hasn't been the best lately. 

Suddenly, he feels this  _ urge  _ to just talk about everything that’s been playing on his mind.

“You were right. It wasn't nothing. That note I got. The play... I was in a local production ten years ago. We had our last show and…”

Jared leans forward and mutes the TV. 

“What happened?” His soft tone washes over Jensen and his shoulders slump as he relives that night in his head. 

It was the final night of the play, and they’d impressed a sold out crowd. The local reviewer assured Jensen that he would be the focal point of a glowing review and he’d been buzzing about adding some footage to his reel. The next move was to go out and unwind with Danneel, his girlfriend at the time, and Tom, one of their best friends.

“We went out to celebrate. I was the designated driver so I didn't drink anything but Diet Coke. There was an argument - always was back then - Danneel was mad I was flirting with some girl. I lost control of the car and we spun into a tree. We all ended up in the ER. I was mostly fine, Danneel had a scrape on her arm. Tom, though, his leg was trapped. They said he'd have to use walking aids for the rest of his life.”

Jared nods understandingly. “Did Tom hold any grudges?”

Jensen laughs bitterly. “I have no fucking idea. I haven't spoken to him since two weeks after the accident. Danneel blamed me. That's why we broke up.”

“And have you spoken to her?”

It hits Jensen then. The weird polished note in Jared's voice, like he's reading from an instruction manual.

“This isn't a  _ real  _ date is it?”

Jared flashes him a guilty smile. “I'm sorry, but I need more from you to help you. I figured that you'd be more forthcoming if we were in a comfortable setting.”

Jensen raises an eyebrow. “A first date is a comfortable setting for you?”

“No, but it's all about putting you at ease, keeping the conversation about you and so forth. It's a surefire way to extract information from people.”

Oh. 

“Tell me about yourself then,” Jensen says. He should be upset that Jared basically preyed on his emotions to get information from him, but he  _ is  _ being stalked. If it helps them find out who it is, he can't be mad about it.

That doesn’t mean that he’s not still interested in Jared, and if he’s being honest, he wanted to ask before he realised Jared was working him like he’s some random victim that needs to be coddled.

Jared squirms uncomfortably and scratches his temple lazily. “This isn't about me.”

Jensen reaches over and switches the television off so that he can focus clearly. “Oh, come on. We're friends, right? Tell me about yourself.”

After a long hesitation, Jared's shoulders slump and he smiles. “You know,  _ not getting too close to the victim  _ is usually the number one rule.”

Jensen makes a point of scooting away to create some distance between them. 

“That's cute.” Jared chuckles. 

“C’mon, tell me one thing,” Jensen pleads. 

“Well…” Jared starts, “I'm going to go and tell the investigating officers what you told me.”

Jensen can feel himself pouting at the non-response. 

Before he can say anything, there's a knock on the door. They haven't ordered room service and Aldis is the only person who knows his exact room number apart from Jared so he's instantly on edge. 

Jared reaches over to squeeze his knee (sending yet another mixed message) and says, “I'll see who it is.”

He returns a minute later with a brown coloured box that's got his name on it in bright red letters. Nausea begins to pool in Jensen’s stomach and he feels that familiar sense of dread. 

It’s not over.

“It was just outside the door, with no one there.” Jared frowns as he pulls out some latex gloves and uses it to set the box down. “We'll have to look at the security cameras to see if they picked up anything.”

Jensen snorts and lets out a shaky burst of laughter. “I bet you five bucks that they're not even working.” 

Jared's answering grimace just makes Jensen feel even more hollow. It's pathetic that he doesn't have any  _ real _ friends to turn to. Just the cop that's been put on babysitting duty. Maybe that's one lesson to come out of this. He's not infallible, he needs people the same way everyone else does. 

“Do you want to watch me open this or go into the bedroom?”

Jensen levels Jared with a hard look. “I can handle whatever this whackjob throws at me, Jared. Just open the damn box.”

Jared's eyes soften, but he doesn't respond. He pulls out a small pen knife and uses it to cut through the tape on the box. Jensen leans in closely and sees something pink.

“What the…” Jared murmurs as he pulls out a plastic pig head covered in what appears to be blood. There's a note attached to it and Jensen tilts his head to read it. 

“ _ Having a pig on your side won't save you from me…”  _ Jensen looks up and frowns. “What the hell does that mean?”

Jared grimaces. “I think they're referring to me. Police, pigs, etc.”

He holds the offending item up and sniffs at it closely. “The good news is this isn't real blood.”

That makes Jensen's (very real) blood turn cold because it  _ looks  _ genuine and it definitely isn't ketchup. It takes a moment for his brain to click into gear before he comes to a conclusion. 

“It's someone from the set isn't it?” he asks Jared, barely able to keep the rage out of his voice. “Someone on the show is fucking with me.”

Jared places the plastic pig back into the box and exhales loudly. “I can't say for certain, Jensen. I'm sure there are other ways to acquire fake blood.”

“This person had access to my trailer, my home and now the hotel. It must be someone connected with the show.”

Jared rubs at his brow. “Okay, what about the song from that play you did. That was oddly specific.”

“How hard would it be for someone to look me up and go back far enough to find out what happened?” Jensen asks. “It's all on record.”

“The question is  _ who  _ would be angry enough with you to want to do all this?” Jared asks him. 

Jensen can't answer that question because there's a whole host of people. If he'd jumped to the CW show and indirectly caused the cancellation of  _ Filthy Rich Avenue, m _ ost people would be out of jobs. That leaves many potential suspects. 

“I need to sleep,” Jensen hears himself say abruptly. He can’t deal with other people when he feels threatened. He just shuts down and needs to be alone. 

“Yeah, okay,” Jared nods. “I'll be out here if you need anything.”

Part of Jensen wants Jared to  _ leave  _ entirely, but the other part of him desperately wants him to stay. 

He doesn’t tell Jared to go.

~

Jensen doesn't sleep a wink and by the morning, he's cranky. The tossing and turning and constant recollection of  _ that  _ night have taken its toll on him. Tom was once his best friend and now he wonders if he should have done more after the crash. If he's being honest with himself it's not a question of  _ if  _ but why he didn't reach out and try his best to help. The accident might not have been deliberate, but it was still his fault. He’s the one who got distracted, he’s the one who lost control of the car.

With a deep exhale, he swings his legs over the side of the bed and rubs at his eyes. After flicking on the lights, he leaves the room in search of some coffee. The main part of the suite is empty and he panics momentarily until he hears the sound of the toilet flushing. Jared emerges seconds later, in the same clothes as the night before looking like he hasn't slept a wink. 

“Shouldn't the LAPD rotate whoever is watching me?” Jensen asks in lieu of a greeting. “I get that you’re undercover and all, but you’ve barely had a chance to rest since you started. I’d feel bad if you weren’t okay.”

Jared raises an eyebrow. “You're a couple of miles away from Hollywood. Right now they're barely investigating the case and I'm stuck here because I'm a rookie.”

Jared doesn't sound  _ upset  _ by any means, but he clearly isn't happy about all this. 

“I have a friend who works in the tech lab. I'm going to see if he can analyse the fake blood on the pig head with any fake blood they have on set.”

Jensen continues his initial search for coffee and is happy to find Jared's set the maker. He pours himself a cup and takes a swig. He normally adds a little milk and a dash of sugar, but it's a black coffee kind of day. 

“How are you going to get the fake blood from set?” he asks. “Don't you need a warrant?”

Jared lets out a dry snort. “You’re the main actor on the show. I'm pretty sure that you can hook me up.”

~

Technically, Jensen has the day off. However, he still makes his way to the set so he can get what Jared needs. He tries to greet as many of the production staff as he can. If one of them  _ is  _ his stalker, maybe a sudden personality change will get them to stop. 

Katie glares at him when he passes by her trailer and makes a beeline for him. Jensen has no choice but to stop when she stops right in front of him. She’s got a white towel wrapped around her head and she’s wearing fluffy blue slippers but there’s still something about her that makes him tense. 

“What are you doing here?” she asks. “Rough night?”

Jared clears his throat beside him and Jensen feels the hairs on his neck stand up. Why would she ask that?

“My night was fine thanks.”

Katie glances at Jared appreciatively. “I bet it was.”

She walks away before either of them can respond, her heels clicking on the ground. 

“Did you and Katie used to have a thing?” Jared asks. “‘Cause from watching you both some more, I’m sensing something more than  _ this asshole almost cost me my job _ .”

Jensen doesn’t want to answer the question, but he knows Jared’s not prying, he’s just doing his job. 

“Depends on your definition of  _ thing _ . When you're on set so much, you tend to bond with people. And then fall out with them just as quickly.”

Jared opens his notebook and takes down some things. If his cover wasn't that he was a film student friend of Jensen's, it'd be pretty damn obvious that he was a cop. 

“How long were you together?” 

Jensen shrugs. “Couple of months. It was a summer fling. Nothing more. And it was years ago now.”

“While we're on the topic, who else have you had a relationship with on set?” Jared asks, before he flips over a page and looks up expectantly. 

There's a hard edge to his tone, but Jensen ignores it. If he's learnt anything in the last few months, it's how to keep things moving in the face of someone else's disdain. 

“We film together day in, day out. These things happen. You don’t have to make it sound so….sordid.”

Jared rolls his eyes. “Just get me a list.”

His tone is snappish and downright  _ rude  _ and Jensen is momentarily stunned. 

“Look, I'm sorry if I've offended you or--”

Jared cuts him off with a swift movement. “I'm not offended, I'm just wondering why you're doing your best to obstruct your own case. That's all.” His voice is low, but it feels like he's screaming. 

Luckily for Jensen, his phone rings and he's sufficiently distracted.

~

The phone call changes everything. 

“Hello, who is this?” Jensen asks when he realises he doesn't recognise the number. 

“It's me... Danneel.”

Jensen's blood runs cold and he looks up at Jared with what he's sure is a horrified expression. “Uh, okay. Just give me a second while I go somewhere quiet.”

He presses the hold option and says, “It's Danneel!”

Jared's eyes widen. “Put it on loudspeaker.”

Jensen glances around. “Here?”

Jared grabs his harm and shoves him into the nearest room (which happens to be the janitor’s closet). “Go on.”

“Hi, Dani, long time no talk,” he says, shifting uncomfortably when he realises there’s a mop digging into his back.

The line crackles before Danneel replies with a succinct, “Yeah.”

“Are you good?” Jensen feels bad for not keeping in touch over the years but that does mean that he doesn't care. She was the love of his life once upon a time. In some ways she still is. He’s never been able to actually  _ commit  _ to someone since he moved out here.

“Look, I'm not here to make idle chit chat with you. Tom is missing. He got this crazy idea in his head about bringing you back and I haven't seen him since.”

Jensen looks up at Jared and finds there’s a twin expression of surprise on his face.

“W-what crazy idea?”

“That you left town because of him.”

Jensen snorts and barely manages to stop himself from laughing. “You expect me to believe that? He hated me. You both did.”

Danneel sighs heavily. “You think what you want but you left and we've been the ones picking up the pieces. Tom  _ was  _ doing better than he has in years and then you were on the news again.”

Jensen shares a look with Jared before he realises she must mean the drama….

“I'm sorry that I screwed up,” Jensen says for a lack of anything better to say. He's also aware of Jared's close presence, the heat radiating from his body is making him feel boxed in. “You said Tom was missing?”

Danneel clears her throat. “He's in L.A. He told me that he saw you and you looked through him like he was nothing. He wasn't happy about it, but I thought he'd come home. And then my mom sent me an email about you being  _ stalked… _ ”

Jensen's words get stuck in his throat and he can't say anything. A warm hand encases his shoulder and he looks up and sees the supportive look in Jared's eyes. 

“D-do you know where he is now?”

“I haven't heard from him in about a month. I didn't think anything of it. That's just Tom. The travelling train-wreck.”

“I'm sorry, I didn't know. I thought leaving was best for everybody.”

“I bet you did,” she says. “Look, I don't know if you have the police involved, but if it is Tom, I need you to make sure that nothing happens to him.”

Jensen feels Jared tense up beside him and he makes the decision to take the phone off loudspeaker. Jared doesn't look happy about it, but Danneel and Tom are the last  _ real  _ friends that Jensen had. 

There are two people in the world he would never screw over and it’s  _ them _ . He’s already done enough damage where they’re concerned. 

“I don't know if I can do that.” Jensen rubs at his face. “Right now, all he's done is - if it is him - is gone into apartment my apartment and left a few notes. If he just comes to me and  _ talks  _ to me, it’ll be fine. Just tell him that.”

Jared’s unhappy expression morphs into a scowl and Jensen turns away from him as much as he can in the crammed, tiny room. 

“I’ve been calling him nonstop for a month. What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

“Tell him that I’ve noticed him and that I was too afraid to say anything. I was ashamed. Tell him that I want to talk to him. Leave a message or whatever. He’ll get it.”

Before Danneel was ever in the picture, Tom and Jensen used to be thick as thieves. They would mess around with their action hero figurines; Tom would voice Superman and Jensen would do his best impression of Batman. Even though they were comic book enemies, they swore that they’d join the rest of the Justice League if it came to it. That it would be them against the world. 

Jensen’s deeply ashamed that he ruined it all. 

~

After Jensen helps Jared get the fake blood, he does his best to ditch him. Not just from set, but from his babysitting detail. If it is Tom, Jensen can handle the situation and even if he can’t, he doesn’t want the police involved. 

“Jensen, I’m not going anywhere,” Jared says for the fifth time. “I said I would see this through.” 

Jensen rubs at his eyes and sinks into the plush leather couch. He’s growing tired of this hotel room, of being caged up. It’s looking like Tom wanted to teach him a lesson and Jensen’s sure that he can deal with it. Tom just has to reach out to him so that they can squash all the stuff that Jensen was too cowardly to address. 

_ Jensen I need to talk to you. Call me.  _

He’s disappointed to see it’s Aldis texting him and not Tom. He tosses his phone away, because he’s fast approaching the point where sits down and decides that paying Aldis his ten percent is just a waste of money. 

“Jensen.” Jared’s voice is on the verge of impatient and Jensen wonders why he’s still here. He’s been downright  _ rude  _ for an hour in the hopes it ’ll get Jared to budge but it hasn’t worked. 

“Look, if it’s Tom, I’ve got this.” He doesn’t look at Jared, doesn’t want to see anything that’ll make his resolve waver. 

“ _ If  _ it’s Tom,” Jared practically yells. “One phone call and you’ve fucking solved your own case. Well done. Just forget about who’s actually been  _ trained  _ for this shit. And no, your role as a cop in that one TV movie doesn’t mean jack shit.”

Jensen does look up this time. “Hey, Boys In Blue was a  _ decent  _ movie.” Jensen might not be as accomplished as his peers, but he likes to think he’s avoided featuring in anything too outlandish during his career. 

“Yeah, I’m sure Dean Cain tells himself the same thing whenever he’s forced to talk about  _ his  _ crappy made for TV movies.”

Jensen clamps his lips together and tries not to laugh, but a few chuckles escape. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Jared says, as if there was no interruption. 

Jensen can’t find it in himself to argue.

~

Danneel never gets back to him, but the moment Jensen’s been waiting for comes when he least expects it. 

He’s joking around with Jared at one of the tables set out for lunch when a dark shadow looms over them. Jared’s already talking before Jensen can fully process what he’s seeing. 

“Can we help you?” Jared asks, face scrunched up like he’s trying to mentally figure out who the person is. Considering that he took a full binder of the entire cast and crew on his first day, he probably is. 

“Jensen told me to reach out, so here I am.”

That has Jensen’s head snapping up quickly. The first thing that gets him is the height; Tom was - is - tall, around Jared’s height. Gone is the neat jet black here and in its place is messy, long, out of control mane and a thick, full beard. There’s no denying it ’s him, though, Jensen would recognise those bright, piercing blue eyes anywhere. 

Before he knows what he’s doing, he’s up and embracing Tom in a tight hug. Tom is stiff at first before he slowly leans into it and pats Jensen on the back awkwardly.

“I’m sorry for not getting in touch,” Jensen says slowly when they break apart. He can see Jared watching them closely from the corner of his eye but he keeps his focus on Tom. 

“It’s okay, I get it,” Tom replies, gesturing in towards the main set. “I’ve been working here for a bit. I’ve seen how crazy it is.”

This time, Jared speaks up. “There isn’t anyone listed as Tom Welling who has security clearance for the set.”

Tom looks away from Jensen guiltily and scratches at his beard. “Look... I am not stalking you. I know that Danneel thought it was me, but it isn’t.”

“Whoever it is  _ knows  _ about us,” Jensen says. “They sent me a note with ‘The Cold Song’ on it.”

It could just be a coincidence, but with Tom suddenly being here and the stalker ramping up their game, Jensen strongly doubts it. If it’s not Tom, then…

“Did you tell anyone about what happened that night?” Jared asks before it’s a fully formed thought in Jensen’s mind. 

Tom swallows and eyes Jensen nervously. “I don’t want any trouble. I  _ need  _ this job.” 

Jensen frowns.

“Did you tell anyone?” Jared repeats. “At all?”

“The agent - Jensen’s agent. I contacted him, said I was interested in becoming an actor. I asked if he knew you, and he said he did. He didn’t seem to happy with you and he asked for some past stories and I... I guess I dropped enough hints for him to look up what happened that night. He said that he would get me a job if I didn’t try to sell my story. I wasn’t going yo 

It’s in that moment that Jensen remembers the text that Aldis sent him. 

“Oh my God,” he say slowly. “It....why would Aldis even  _ think  _ about fucking with me like this?”

Jared’s expression is blank and unsurprised. “Look, I need to go and check out a few things. Are you going to be okay?”

Considering that Jared didn’t even want Jensen anywhere near Tom, he’s surprised by the sudden change. “You’re going to leave me alone?”

Jared swings his legs over the table bench and stands up. “Don’t worry. I have eyes on you.”

With that, he walks away. 

Tom stands there awkwardly and says, “So, are you two...you know? I didn’t know that you were into guys.”

“It’s been ten years, Tommy, there’s a lot that you don’t know.”

Jensen winces at the sharpness of his tone, but this entire situation is fucking with him. It feels like his head’s on fire and his feet are encased in ice while his insides twist up like a deformed pretzel. The most messed up part is he feels Jared’s absence like a knife to the gut, even though he’s only been gone for a few minutes. 

That comforting and ever hovering presence has been his safety mechanism since this mess started and now that they might finally know who’s behind it, he needs it more than he did before. 

Before they could still write this off as a harmless grudge, or some jilted lover who never got the message but now it seems like it’s  _ personal _ . It feels like his muscles are bouncing under his skin and his hands ball up into tight fists. 

He almost forgets Tom’s still there, trying to explain away ten years of Jensen’s own failings. 

“What I do know is you not coming home sucked. I was angry after the accident but not at you, not really. You didn’t mean to crash and my leg got better. It wasn’t the end of the world but you leaving like that….like we’d done something to you? That screwed me up for the longest time.”

Jensen finally stands up, so that he can face Tom head on. Two PAs walk by and eye them curiously, but Tom just waves them off quickly. His chest tightens and he fights the sudden urge to run away and not stop until he can’t go on. 

“I’m sorry, man. If I could take it all back I would…” he trails off, no longer sure in his own words. What he’s certain of is that he doesn’t have the appropriate words for this situation.

“That’s nice and all but I didn’t come here for an apology,” Tom tells him. “I came here because this was always what I wanted to do and I finally decided I couldn’t let what happened dictate my life. My leg might never be a hundred percent, and my  _ mind  _ sure as hell won’t be, but knowing that I tried. That’s going to help a lot if this doesn’t pan out.”

Jensen nods slowly but he doesn’t offer a response. He’s tired of saying the wrong thing, of  _ being  _ a mess. Nothing he says is going to be helpful to Tom in the long run. 

“Look, I gotta go. Reshoots are about to start.” 

With that Tom is gone leaving Jensen feeling alone.

~

Jared comes back with blood results about an hour after Tom leaves. Jensen’s busy in his trailer mindlessly shooting Zombies in whatever video game was last loaded up. Jared takes on look at him and says, “Here, I brought you a salted caramel mocha.”

Jensen lets out a surprised chuckle. “I think I just threw up in my mouth. I don’t like my coffee to be all... _ fancy _ .”

Jared rolls his eyes and sets the paper cup next to him. “Just drink the damn coffee.” Despite his tone, there’s a small smile playing on his lips and Jensen breathes a sigh of relief. Knowing that Jared isn’t angry with him makes him feel better. 

He definitely doesn’t delve deeper into why that’s the case. 

“Where did you go?” he asks, picking up the cup and sniffing at it carefully. He takes a sip and braces himself to be thoroughly disgusted but it’s not that bad. It’s the perfect mixture of strong and sweet. 

Jared gives him a knowing smile before he pulls out two sheets of paper from his jacket pocket. “I got the fake blood results back from my friend at the lab. It’s a match. Someone with access to this set is stalking or I guess  _ harassing  _ you at this point. Unless there’s anything you haven’t told me?”

Jensen shakes his head, not even wanting to think about what started all this. The strange feeling that he was being followed, the misplaced items that mysteriously reappeared. He still hasn’t been able to find his Grandmother’s brooch and that was the only thing that he still has from when he first moved here. 

“What about what Tom said about Aldis?” Jensen asks. “If he  _ knows  _ about the crash, he’d have enough information to write the notes.”

Jared nods slowly and takes his time to answer. “I’m not a detective, but only the last two items were  _ specifically  _ related to the accident.”

“Meaning what?” Jensen says, not even wanting to contemplate it himself. 

“Meaning that either we’re dealing with two different people  _ or  _ the stalker got a hold of new information somehow. Either way, we need to talk to Aldis.”

Jensen shakes his head and puts the coffee cup down. Aldis is one of his closest friends in the city. They hang out when Jensen’s not working. He went to Aldis’ brother’s wedding, they were even on a charity lacrosse team together (and Jensen doesn’t normally play sports for  _ free _ ). 

Jared approaches him and joins him on the padded seating area. “It might not be him.”

Jensen wants to believe him, but in a world where his best friend has been on set right under his nose without him realising - anything is possible. 

Without thinking, he rests his head on Jared’s shoulder, feeling him tense briefly before he relaxes. Jared’s arm snakes out and pulls Jensen further in. Jensen’s not going to cry but he feels broken, like the dam that’s been holding everything in is finally about to burst. He shudders involuntarily and Jared holds him tighter. 

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles into Jared’s shoulder. Later, he’s going to think about his moment and find himself overcome with shame but right now he just wants to be here with Jared.

“It’s going to be okay.” 

Jensen hopes Jared’s right.

~

Jared drives Jensen home once he’s done filming. Not to the hotel but to  _ his  _ home, which surprises Jensen. Since he’s known Jared, there’s been little personal information divulged. All he knows is Jared probably sent his parents’ food bill through the roof when he was a kid. 

“Your hotel room has been compromised,” he explains sheepishly when he pulls up outside a nice two-storey house. “You can stay here for tonight, just until we come up with a plan.”

“By  _ we  _ you mean the detective that’s  _ supposed  _ to be in charge of my case, right?” Jensen barely remembers the man. Some hard-nosed, grumpy old bastard who looked at Jensen like he was dirt under the shoe.

Jared turns the engine off and releases his seatbelt before he turns to Jensen. “Detective Beaver isn’t interested in your case. He’s just buddy-buddy with some guy at the network who wants to cover his own ass. Luckily for you, I’m here.”

“I’ll make sure that Tom Cruise plays you when they make a movie about all this,” Jensen jokes because at this point it’s either laugh or cry and he’s not about to embarrass himself in front of Jared. Not when he has all these... _ feelings. _

Jared laughs gently, emitting a low sound that rumbles in his chest. “I don’t think Lifetime can afford Tom Cruise.”

“Touche,” Jensen quips, following suit when Jared exits the car. 

~

Jared’s house is... _ sparsely  _ furnished. Jensen’s not judging, his own apartment is hardly the embodiment of well-lived in. There’s a couch and a couple of paintings on the wall, but not much else. His living room table is literally made out of beer crates. 

“When this is all over, remind me to give you my interior designer's number.”

Jensen knows it’s the wrong thing to say when Jared’s flinches and immediately pastes a false smile on his face. He doesn’t apologise because he feels like it’ll make it worse and he can’t afford to piss off the  _ one  _ person who’s in his corner. 

“The house is up for sale so most of my stuff is in storage,” Jared explains slowly. “I’m probably going to have to lower my asking price.” 

There’s a faraway look in his eyes and a wistful note in his voice and Jensen can tell this house is important to him. Even with the emptiness, it’s not messy, it’s neat and obvious that Jared’s put some effort into maintaining it. 

“Why are you selling it?”

Jared’s response is a sharp bark of laughter. “Dude, this is L. A, remember? I’d better off selling and buying a bigger place in a less expensive area where my mortgage won’t be through the roof. It was doable with two salaries, but with what I make? Fat chance.”

“Oh. You lived here with someone.”

“Ex-fiancee. She’s an aspiring....star and I wanted to be a cop. We were dreaming right from the beginning.” Jared cracks a smile and Jensen stares at him. 

If he was in Jared’s shoes, he’d want nothing to do with the place. That's his problem; he never faces up to anything, he’s always doing his best to run away. 

“I have some money saved away, maybe I ca--”

\--Jared cuts him off with a succinct “ _ No _ .” 

His faces closes off and Jensen’s mouth snaps shut. His face heats up, like he’s some kid who’s just been scolded by the teacher. He gets it, to even think about offering something like that is a huge overstep. It’s just something that he wouldn’t mind doing for Jared. 

“I didn’t bring you here for your pity, just your safety,” Jared says. He peels his jacket off and tosses it on the couch. “I’ll sleep here and you can take my bed.”

He’s out of the room before Jensen can even protest. 

_ Jensen? Call me.  _

The text from Aldis isn’t what he needs at the moment so he mutes his phone and pockets it. He takes a seat on the couch and breathes in deeply, exhales before he’s ready to. His mind wanders to Tom and he finds himself regretting that he didn’t make plans to catch up with him. 

He leans back to and resolves to do it next time. 

~

Jensen finds himself unable to sleep. Being in Jared’s bed is  _ weird _ , but only in the sense that he wishes Jared was here with him. Given the awkwardness he caused with his offer to help buy the house, he’s hesitant to get up and roam about. Gone was their easy cadence and in its place was the stilted silence that played the background character to their growing tension. Jared only spoke about the case and that was that. Subject matter aside, there's something intriguing about the way Jared is working his way through Jensen's 'case'. Jensen is just an actor; he doesn't know how to read people, or profile them after three point five seconds. Now that he's thinking about it, Jared is clearly more experienced than he led Jensen to believe. 

That thought has Jensen climbing out of the bed and making his way downstairs. The legs of Jared’s sweatpants are too long on him, so he rolls them up and ignores the weird tingle he feels whenever he thinks about wearing Jared’s clothes. He’s not sure when he turned into a preteen girl, but he hasn’t completely lost his mind. Maybe he’s just projecting. Imagining things because Jared’s been a constant presence by his side throughout an emotional ordeal. 

Maybe. 

“Oh, you’re up?” Jared’s voice cuts into Jensen’s thoughts. “I hope I didn’t wake you. I’m just going over everything and there’s something that doesn’t add up.”

Jensen bites back the urge to scream because that’s not what he wants to talk about. He’s  _ tired _ . Tired of being afraid, of feeling like he’s a huge fuck up. 

Still, if he wants this to be over, he needs to help. 

“What doesn’t add up?”

“You first reported being followed back four months ago. That lasted for a period of one month. After that? Nothing. The first note shows up three weeks later but you don’t say anything about being followed. I looked into Tom’s fake name - Shaw Hennessy - and he got the job about a month ago. However, a Thomas Welling arrived in California exactly four months ago.”

_ He's in L.A. He told me that he saw you and you looked through him like he was nothing. _

Jensen just assumed Tom had first encountered him on the  _ Filthy Rich Avenue  _ set. He must have been watching him before that. 

Jared closes a folder and picks up another one. “I called Tom and he says he was trying to work up the nerve to approach you. I believe him.”

“Okay, I have to ask, but…you’re pretty self-assured for a rookie cop who’s been on the beat for less than a year.”

Jared all but smirks at him and Jensen frowns. It was just an observation and not intended as an ego-boost, but he decides to let Jared have his little moment. 

“I used to work in litigation. Let’s just say you get an eye for these things.”

Jensen rolls his eyes. “Is this the point where I tell you that I  _ hate  _ lawyers.”

“Ex-lawyer. I quit to become a cop, hence why I now live in a house that I can’t afford,” Jared informs him. “And before you ask, I’m not insane, I just got disillusioned with the system. We don’t serve justice, we serve whoever can throw the most money around.”

“So being a cop is better?” Jensen wrinkles his nose because he’d go with  _ lawyer  _ over cop on any day. 

Jared laughs, like the question is ludicrous. “Of course not, but it’s given me better understanding of the system. I can’t say that’s a bad thing.”

“Okay, McGenius, if Tom is telling the truth that means someone else planted the notes and the other stuff. You think it’s Aldis?”

“Not exactly…”

Jensen settles in to listen to Jared explain his theory. 

~

It’s three in the morning a few days later when Jensen finds himself following Jared on the now empty set of  _ Filthy Rich Avenue _ . He walks past the set for his fake mansion and wonders how his life has come to this. Trying to catch whoever’s been tormenting him in the act. Jared’s was so enamoured by his own detective work that he was convinced the stalker would be here  _ tonight _ . 

“Are you sure that this is a good idea?” Jensen hisses for the fourth time. Jared stops in front of him and turns, accidentally shining his flashlight in Jensen’s eyes. Jensen bites down his lip to prevent himself from crying out and Jared switches it off instantly. 

Jensen knows he’s being annoying - he  _ begged  _ Jared to let him tag along only to attempt to chicken out the second they reached the studio - but he’s worried. Jared might be a lawyer-cop extraordinaire but Jensen plays a rich man-whore on television. He doesn’t have secret superpowers or a secret  _ stealth mode _ , just washboard abs. 

Washboard abs won’t save him from getting his ass kicked. 

“Jensen, I told you to stay in the car,” Jared snaps impatiently. “Just be quiet.”

“Like I was going to let you do this on your own,” Jensen whispers. “I’m not that much of an asshole.”

Jared huffs loudly and pushes Jensen forward until they reach the area where the trailers are stationed. There’s a small light at the far end and Jensen feels his heartbeat quicken. 

“Wait here,” Jared demands, but Jensen’s not going to back down now. Not when he’s so close. If there was ever moment to step up, this is it. 

“I’m coming with you,” he announces with all the false bravado that he can muster, not caring if Jared can see right through him. “Let’s go.”

Jared nods and they make their way over to the trailers, sharing a look when they see the door to Jensen’s trailer is ajar. Jensen takes a deep breath and follows Jared as he approaches the open door. 

“You,” Jared says when he steps inside, blocking the doorway and preventing Jared from seeing who it is. 

Jensen pushes past him and comes face to face with….  _ Katie _ . She’s dressed in all black and holding an open tube of red lipstick, her eyes wide with horror as she takes in the sight of them. Jensen looks past her and sees what’s written on the mirror. 

_ LOOK WHO’S LAUGHING NOW? _

~

Aldis comes rushing through the lobby area ten minutes after the police arrive to take Katie away. Katie’s still there; her blonde hair lying in messy strands and her face streaked with mascara. They haven’t been able to get much from her. In between the sobbing and pleas for forgiveness, Jensen is utterly confused. They have a messy history, but she’s alway had her shit together. This type of behaviour isn’t her at all. 

Not only that she wasn’t even  _ on  _ the show when word broke that Jensen filmed another show. He shares a look with Jared who seems equally confused. He’s just about to go over and ask him what he thinks when Aldis bursts onto the scene and rushes over to Katie. She responds to him immediately, burying her head in the crook of his neck as he holds onto her. 

Jensen blinks at them and wonders if he’s suddenly entered the fucking Twilight Zone. 

“I’ve been trying to reach you,” Aldis spits out. “Why the fuck didn’t you answer my calls?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you gave my _friend_ a job?” Jensen yells back, because he’s not sure why Aldis is giving _him_ accusing eyes. “You thought I just wouldn’t notice?”

Aldis raises an eyebrow. “Did you?”

Jensen opens his mouth to answer and falters because Aldis has got him there. He didn’t notice. He didn’t notice a fucking thing. 

“I get a bunch of calls from people who claim to know you. Usually I go out of my way when they have a story to tell me which makes  _ you  _ look bad. So you can take that bullshit and shove it up your ass.”

Some police officers hovering nearby step forward and inform Aldis that they have to take Katie to the station and all breaks loose. There’s yelling, more crying and a flurry of voices. Jensen can barely make out who’s saying what. 

“Before you take her away, I think she owes Jensen an explanation,” Jared says. “You both do.”

Aldis shakes his head bitterly. “Jensen, I love you like a brother, but you’re a shithead. I was always telling you, don’t piss of the wrong people. You never listened to me. And then you had a hand in Tony Devon’s dismissal.”

Jensen recoils at the mere name. While Tony Devon was creep of the highest level, Jensen didn’t have a hand in the network firing him but it was one of those rumours he’d never bothered to squash. “What does he have to do with any of this?”

Katie finally emerges from Aldis’ hold on her, with red-rimmed eyes and quivering lips. Jensen’s been in enough scenes with her to know that she’s  _ acting  _ but he doesn’t call her out on it. 

“Tony had a bunch of incriminating pictures of me….doing things that I shouldn’t have. He told me he wouldn’t tell anyone and that he’d help me get back onto the show if I did what he said. I was...desperate.”

Jensen looks at her and feels nothing but disappointment. He knows she was worried about keeping her job after her pregnancy, but this makes little sense. 

“Kripke would have let you come back, he was just annoyed you weren’t following his vision. You think the network would have let him can you?”

Aldis scoffs. “One of other clients got a casting call for Arabella. You’re damn right they were going to fire her.”

Jared looks at Katie and says, “So you admit you planted all that stuff?”

Katie doesn’t answer and Jensen can’t blame her. This is all too fucked up to believe. 

“I have evidence that proves what Katie is saying,” Aldis says. “That’s why I kept calling Jensen, I wanted to let him know what I’d overheard. You can’t let Tony get away with this.”

“Or me….” Katie’s voice is quiet but they all hear it. “Jensen had the right idea. This show is  _ poison _ . I’ll give a statement, whatever you want. I just want to be as far away from here as possible.”

For the first time since he met Katie, Jensen finds something that they can both agree on. 

~

Being in his apartment brings about a weird feeling. Weeks of being cooped up in the hotel room makes his own possessions seem alien to him. The sensation goes beyond the thin layer of dust ’s starting to gather. Everything feels  _ wrong _ . 

In a way, everything that’s happened has changed him. He  _ feels  _ different. According to Jared, when Tony was apprehended at his home in Hollywood Hills he claimed Jensen reported him to the network. It didn’t take Jensen long to realise someone higher up had genuinely been trying to teach him a lesson. 

_ Mess with us and we’ll mess with you. _

Part of him spent the better part of the past few days debating quitting the show, but he couldn’t do that. This time he’s going to do it  _ right.  _ Line something up and let people know in time. Heck, maybe this time they’ll realise the show  _ can  _ go on without him. 

The show will definitely be going on without Katie. She was charged with harassment, but currently out on bail. According to Jared it’s a misdemeanour that will probably be dropped if she cooperates with the police regarding Tony. Part of Jensen is annoyed she won’t be punished for what she did to him, but he’s no stranger to mistakes. 

He’ll forgive her in time; right now, he never wants to see her again. He’s more focused on mending his friendship with Tom. They haven’t spoken much since everything came to ahead but Tom did call to apologise for whatever role he played in Jensen’s stalking ordeal. They end the conversation on a good note and agree to meet up for lunch. 

That just leaves Jared who’s been busy processing the case down at the station. It hits Jensen then it's not his apartment that feels alien but the absence of Jared by his side. He might not know Jared well, but it’s like an extension of himself is missing and there’s a huge hole where it was.

Jensen’s in the middle of feeling sorry of himself when Jared stops by. He doesn’t come in, just stands in the doorway and smiles sheepishly. “Any orange juice in the fridge?”

Jensen glares at him, although, it melts into a smile after a few seconds. “Too soon, man.” 

Jared hums but he doesn’t respond. Instead, there’s a long silence as they regard each other carefully. There’s an openness in Jared’s eyes that Jensen’s never seen before and he wants to something -  _ anything  _ \- yet the words refuse to flow. 

“Anyway,” Jared says with a breathy laugh. “It’s time for me to go back the beat. Those jaywalkers won’t arrest themselves.”

“I guess not…” Jensen would slap himself if he didn’t think it would make things worse. Truth be told, he’s never been a smooth operator, never been good at going after what he wants. He’s always taken whatever comes to him. He has no idea how to ask Jared if there’s something there. 

“I’m going to go,” Jared adds with another disarming smile. “I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Jensen nods and stands there as Jared raises both of his eyebrows and then turns away. 

His brain finally clicks into gear and hears himself calling out, “Wait.”

Jared stops and turns around. There’s an expectant look on his face, and Jensen knows exactly what he wants to say.

“You still owe me a date.”

Jared snorts gently, and brushes some wayward strands out of his face. “Do I?”

“Yes,” Jensen says along with his step toward Jared. “A proper one. One where you actually tell me about yourself when I ask you.”

Jared moves closer, and they’re almost in touching distance. “I’m not so sure it's a good idea. It’s been less than a year since my ex-fiancee and I called off the wedding. I’m a mess.”

It’s the first time Jensen’s seen a  _ real  _ moment of vulnerability from Jared and usually this is the part where he’d run away. He doesn’t do emotional baggage. He doesn’t do  _ this _ . 

At least not until now. 

“You’ve been in life for a while now. It ain’t all peaches and cream on my end either but... I  _ like  _ you. A lot. I’m willing to take on your mess, if you’ll let me.”

It’s the most honest Jensen’s been in a long time. The words aren’t on a script this time, they’re straight from the heart. 

Jared looks straight into his eyes, and Jensen watches as the blue swirls into green. He’s captivated by Jared’s lashes when they flutter. 

He almost misses the twin dimples that appear before Jared finally closes the distance between them and says, “Okay.”

Before Jensen can start to overthink things, Jared’s hands reach up to frame his face and he leans into kiss him. 

Jensen’s momentarily stunned, but when he kisses Jared back it’s like everything clicks into place.  He might be a  _ Filthy Rich  _ bastard by day, but on this night, he’s just a hopeless romantic who feels like he’s on the verge of falling in love. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Speaking of New Year’s - I just want to say the past six years (or however long I’ve been writing as brokenhighways) have been a blast. Thank you to everyone who’s ever read, commented or downloaded one of my fics. I appreciate it so much. Keep writing and reading! xo


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